Landikotal residents’ arrest slammed

LANDIKOTAL: The All Political Parties Alliance (APPA), Fata chapter, on Wednesday condemned the arrest of local residents and confiscation of non-custom paid vehicles in Landikotal tehsil of Khyber Agency.

Addressing a news conference at the Landikotal Press Club, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fata secretary Mufti Muhammad Ijaz Shinwari, Pakistan People's Party Khyber Agency president Hazrat Wali Afridi, Pakisatn Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Zarbullah Shinwari, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Muqtadar Shah Afridi, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Israr Shinwari, Awai National Party's Minawaal Shinwari and others criticised the FC personnel for the crackdown against non-custom paid taxicabs in the Landikotal.

They said the move by the Khyber Rifles was deplorable as thousands of NCP vehicles were plying roads in Swat, Malakand and other Fata agencies. The political leaders said that non-custom paid vehicles were the only source of income for the local tribesmen. The political parties local office-bearers said that if the crackdown against non-custom paid vehicles continued, hundreds of people would lose their job of transport. They said the Khyber Rifles officials were trying to hide own failure in recovering the 17 picnickers who had been abducted by unknown gunmen from Adilkhad village of Landikotal about six months ago..